Living On Borrowed Time
by JetStorm the Sparkling
Summary: When Jazz is killed, the only thing Prowl wants is to get him back.  If Jazz is lucky, he'll have just under two years with Prowl. And there'll be no coming back a second time...
1. Prologue: Torn in Two

_Note: please don't hate me! I'm begging you…please don't hate me for what I'm about to do…_

**Living On Borrowed Time**

**Prologue: Torn in Two**

"You wanna piece a' me?"

Stupid. Jazz had known taunting Megatron was stupid. But as a distraction, however short, it worked.

"No," the Decepticon leader growled, grabbing Jazz as the much smaller mech scrambled about, "I want _two!_"

There was the sound of ripping metal, the short, high sound of a Spark popping. Then…nothing. Jazz hadn't had the time to scream, or register any pain, when he was pulled apart. But another mech, hundreds of millions of miles away did.

Out near Jupiter

Prowl stiffened, optics brightening. A soft, keening cry slipped out as he felt something snap.

"Prowl?" First aid was immediately beside the white mech. "Prowl? What's wrong?"

"Jazz…" Prowl whispered his beloved's name, then screamed as the pain of a shattered Link hit him, full-force. He was barely aware that First Aid was holding him, that the Twins were staring at him in shock, that Wheeljack was watching him with concern. His only thought was Jazz.

"JAZZ!" he screamed, desperately reaching out across their Link, hoping to find that lively presence that had drawn him in, captivated him. He found…nothing. Jazz wasn't there. "NO! JAZZ!" he screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks. He knew but…it didn't prevent him from trying. Again. And again. And again.


	2. One: Confirming Fears

_Note: Even though it's February, I'm keeping a close optic on the calendar. I do not want to wait for July to get here (the calendar picture is the lovely Ravage) and the __**third**__ Transformers movie! Yes, I am majorly-excited for this summer._

**Living On Borrowed Time**

**Chapter One: Confirming Fears**

"How soon do you think they'll land?" Optimus asked Ratchet, who was standing beside him.

"An hour. Possibly more, likely less." The medic replied, his blue optics scanning the sky for the fireballs that would represent five more Autobots coming to Earth. And he was almost regretting the group that was arriving.

"How will you tell him?" the EMT unit asked his leader, turning to look at the blue and red semi, who let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't know." Optimus said, shaking his head, "It is never easy to deliver the news of a death…Especially when two are as close as Jazz and Prowl are…Were." he corrected himself quickly.

"At least Prowl survived the Break." Ratchet said, and a small shudder ran through his frame. "Do you remember when we found out what happens in a Break?"

"How could I forget?" Optimus replied, looking up at the stars, "I was the one who killed them."

…..

At the edge of the atmosphere

The five mechs that were approaching Earth slowly shifted into small, rounded and armored egg-like shapes.

**-We'll follow your lead, Wheeljack.- **First Aid said via comm.-link.

**-Why am I leading?- **The mech grumbled at the junior medic, a simple look at the nearly-catatonic Prowl gave him his answer. With in inward wince, he started forward, aiming for where he'd heard Optimus' call come from.

**-Yeeeooowww!-** Sunstreaker and Sideswipe yowled in unison as the entrance to Earth's atmosphere made things very…hot. They had formed a double-sized pod of their own, not wanting to run the risk of being separated.

…..

With Optimus and Ratchet

"There they are." Ratchet said softly, watching the four fireballs heading toward their location. He frowned, "Why are there only four?" he muttered. When he realized the fourth fireball was larger than the others, he understood. _The Twins. Of course Prowl would keep them close to him._

Optimus watched as the group came closer, wondering what he'd tell Prowl. It would have been hard if the two hadn't been so closely Tied, but as it was…It really was a good thing Prowl had been far enough away that he'd survived the Breaking. Unbidden, the memory of when they'd learned what Breaking a Tie would do sprang up:

_Optimus fired a shot at the grey-green flier mech that had been about to take out Ironhide. The flier stiffened as he was shot. He turned to look at Optimus, a panicked look in his red optics. "Hornet-" he whispered, then fell, too badly injured to have any hope of surviving._

"_RATTLESTEP!" a young red flier had yelled as a gold and black femme screamed, clutching at her chassis. A blue femme caught the gold one as she fell, her body twitching as her Spark went out._

_Optimus was in shock. The two fliers had been Tied! He'd killed the mech, not realizing it, and now the femme was also dead…._

Optimus was yanked into reality as the four fireballs slammed into the ground, digging huge gouges in the rock, setting the vegetation close to them on fire. The dry plants burned in seconds, crumbling to flaming heaps as the pods opened, shifted, and became five familiar mechs.

He had no time to offer words of greeting before Prowl spoke up.

"Where is he?" he demended, blue optics searching for one mech in particular.

"Prowl-" Ratchet began, but was cut off.

"Where is Jazz?" Prowl demanded, his voice starting to climb in pitch as he looked to Optimus for an answer. "Where is he?"

"I'm sorry Prowl…" Optimus said, "He's gone."

Prowl shook his head, as if denying his leader's words would change reality. He knew the truth of course, but he hadn't wanted to believe it. Hearing Optimus confirm it just made it a thousand times worse. His hands clasped together over his Spark Chamber, tears dropping slowly from his optics, he crumpled. And he would have hit the dirt if First Aid hadn't rushed over to catch him.

"I want to see him." Prowl finally said, his voice trembling. "I have to see him…" _Jazz…._ He thought, letting First Aid and Ratchet pull him to his feet, _If there's a way to get you back, I'll find it, and use it. I can't lose you like this. You are why I came to Earth. Without you here…why should I keep trying? You are my reason…for everything…_

_Note: well, there you have it. *hides behind Ironhide* Please don't kill me! I apologize to anyone who's crying, believe me, I'm sobbing my eyes out right now. If anyone's out of character, I'm really sorry. It's hard to stay true to attitudes, and still weave a new storyline from them…_


	3. Two: The Power of the AllSpark

_Note: I realize the last chapter was insanely depressing. Not to worry, though! It'll get better. Starting in this chapter._

_Please review!_

_More note: Oh, and the trine I mentioned in the last chapter? They're a large part of my other story __Memoire__. And yeah, the little red flier was Starscream _

**Living On Borrowed Time**

**Chapter Two: The Power of the All-Spark**

"There must be a way!" Prowl said for what had to be the thousandth time.

Ratchet sighed, "Prowl, we don't know if the All-Spark shard will bring him back. There might not be enough power in it."

Prowl stayed close to Jazz's repaired body, tracing a fingertip along the scar that crossed his body from his right shoulder to his left hip. "Ratchet…if it works…" he didn't continue. He looked up at the medic, "Please…we have to try."

…..

Optimus looked up from the datapad he was reading as Ratchet came into the empty hangar they were using. "How is he, Ratchet?" he asked.

"Close to entirely losing his mind." The medic sighed, "We're going to have to try using the shard to bring Jazz back. The Break may still kill Prowl. Their Tie was the strongest, and closest I've ever seen."

"And if it doesn't work?" Optimus asked, almost dreading to hear the answer.

"We lose Prowl."

_And that's an awful lot to lose._ Optimus sighed, "I was hoping you wouldn't say that…"

…..

Prowl had insisted on being the one to use the shard. He stood beside Jazz's body, a smaller bit of the shard in hand, hoping that this would work. The All-Spark was their source of life! Surely it could bring back someone who'd died! Right?

"Come back to me, Jazz…" Prowl said softly as he placed the shard in Jazz's darkened Spark Chamber. At first, nothing happened. Prowl waited a good five minutes…but Jazz remained lifeless.

_It didn't—_ he didn't get to finish the thought.

There was a bright flash of light, a crackling sound, and the clicks of latches moving into place, The sound of latches over a Spark Chamber locking into place!

"Jazz?" Prowl asked, finding his beloved's hand, and clinging to it like a lifeline. He almost went weak with the relief when he felt the warmth, the inquisitive twitch of fingers against his own.

"Prowler?"

He thought he'd never hear that voice again! "Jazz!" he cried out, shedding his straight-faced mask for sheer relief and joy. "Jazz, you're back!"

"Prowl? Ya really here?" Jazz shuttered his optics to make sure what he was seeing was right. Prowl's blue optics, relief and joy on his faceplates. Jazz searched for their Link, but couldn't find it. That only confirmed he really had been killed, else they'd be Tied, and he wouldn't have to search for their Link.

"I'm here Jazz." Prowl said, pulling Jazz into a hug. "I'm really here…And so are you!"

"How…?" Jazz asked, completely baffled.

"With a little bit of what was left of the All-Spark." Ratchet answered from where he'd been waiting at the doorway. "I'm glad to see that it worked."

"Man…what _did_ I miss?" Jazz wondered as he and Prowl clung to each other.


End file.
